Safe & Sound
by DetectiveKateBeckettCastle
Summary: Patrick and Teresa finally have a perfect family, but Patrick fears he might endanger their lives because Red John is still out there, hunting him. This fear causes Jane to leave his family for six months, but when he returns, things change, and they aren't as safe as he thinks...


Safe & Sound

A Mentalist Fanfiction

By: SK Knight

**A/N: This is my first Mentalist fanfic so go easy on me. It is also my final exam for Journalism 1, so fingers crossed I get an A! I'll let you guys know! Enjoy! ~DetectiveKateBeckettCastle**

**A/N: Update: I got an A! My teacher loved it! Thanks to everyone who read it & reviewed!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mentalist or its characters. All rights to rightful owners. **

* * *

"_Tess, I have to go. Red John is looking for me and by staying I'm only putting you and Angela in danger. It's not worth it, ok? I've already lost one family to him, I can't lose another. If he thinks he can use you guys against me, he'll do it. And he won't hesitate to kill you. I'll be back when I can. I promise." _

Teresa Lisbon-Jane sat in the kitchen chair, remembering the day he left, realizing how much she hated that word, _promise._ In her experience, when someone said promise, they were only lying to shield her from the pain of uncertainty. Jane had been no different. It'd been six months since he left her alone to care for their now three year old daughter, Angela Grace Jane. No calls, no emails, no texts, not even a letter. She supposed it was difficult, given the circumstances but it was unlike her husband to not find a way to contact her. She rubbed her face with her left hand, on which her ring sat, as she tried to push the memory of him leaving from her mind. Teresa sighed heavily and was pulled from her thoughts by a small tug on her arm.

"Mommy?" came the soft voice beside her.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" Teresa replied, looking into the innocent eyes of her three year old.

Angela blinked. "When Daddy coming home?"

"I don't know, Angie. He didn't say. We can only hope it's soon."

Teresa sighed heavily, pulling her daughter onto her lap and hoping that, wherever Patrick was, he was safe.

* * *

The neon sign reading "Miami Motel" flickered next to a dumpy looking building with rickety stairs leading up to the second floor. The rooms had doors with peeling paint. Patrick Jane was laying on the bed in room twenty-three, running his finger over a picture of a smiling Teresa and two-year old Angela, taken a year before, on the Christmas before he left. He had been in Miami six months since, waiting for Red John to make his move, so that he could end the life of the man who killed his first family, once and for all. Six months had passed and Red John hadn't struck, and he wanted desperately to see his family again, so he decided that night that he would be home by morning. He was sure it would be safe, it had to be.

* * *

Teresa awoke the next morning as she had for the last six months, tired, cold and alone. She got Angela out of her room and then made breakfast for her, helping her eat it. "Stay out here, sweetie, I'm going to take a shower. I'll be out in-" A knock on the door stopped Teresa mid-sentence and she made her way to the door, looking through the peephole. When she saw who it was, a frown crossed her face. She picked up Angela, who had toddled near her and opened the door.

"Daddy!" Angela shrieked happily and her father chuckled and smiled. He hugged them both and stepped inside.

He smiled. "How are my two girls, huh?"

Teresa continued frowning in reply and his smile dropped. "No call, no text, no contact." She put Angela down and the girl toddled into her room to play.

"Teresa, I couldn't…he could've been tracking my phone. I didn't want to take the risk that he'd find you."

Teresa crossed her arms. "Oh bull, Jane, you could've used a burner phone. You left me and Angela _alone _for _six months_. Do you know she asked about you every day? Every day! I had to tell her that I didn't know if or when Daddy was coming home. You know how that made me feel? Not to mention I haven't been sleeping because I was up all night worrying that he would find you."

"I know, Tess, I should've called, I should've let you know I was ok. I'm sorry for leaving."

"Damn right you should've called. I was worried sick!"

His eyes bore straight into hers. "I'm sorry, Tess. I am."

Teresa let him pull her into a hug and she sighed. "It's ok, honey."

Just then, Angela's crying sounded from her room and Patrick and Teresa rushed toward it as Teresa grabbed her gun from the kitchen table on the way. They saw Red John standing in the middle of the room with Angela in his arms and a knife at her throat as a burly associate with a gun stood next to him.

Teresa raised her gun. "Drop the knife. Now."

Red John chuckled. "Oh, Teresa. You and I both know, it's not that simple. Your husband has to learn, there's a price for trying to avoid me."

Jane glared. "Let Angela go, John."

"Teresa, kindly put down your gun and stand in front of my associate here or my knife might just…slip on little Angela's neck." Red John ordered.

Teresa, realizing she had no choice, dropped the gun at her feet and stood in front of the associate. Red John's minion put a gun to Teresa's head.

"What do you want?" Jane demanded and Red John chuckled darkly.

"Oh, Patrick, I want you to realize that the longer you try to run, the more people end up dead…for you. You see, that's what I've wanted all along, to cause you the most extreme pain it is possible to feel, much like I felt when you openly mocked me on television. I never wanted you dead, oh no. Death would be too easy an escape, what I want…is for everyone around you to be gone and for you to know that their blood is on your hands. And now, when I kill your second wife and child, the only one who will have to endure lifelong pain and misery…is you." he said.

"That's where you're wrong," Jane said. "It's not me, it's you." Jane grabbed the gun and fired two shots into Red John's leg and he crumpled, Angela tumbling safely onto the carpet, unhurt.

At that moment, Teresa elbowed Red John's associate and he fell to the ground, and Teresa turned to step on him but he got up as Teresa yelled, "Jane, get Angela!"

Jane picked her up and put her out of the room as Red John struggled to get to his feet. Jane grabbed the gun and put two shots in him and Red John was still. Teresa knocked the associate out cold, breathing hard.

"It's over, Jane," she panted, "it's finally over."

* * *

A few weeks later, Jane and Teresa sat on the couch at home with Angela, watching the news.

"The famous Red John killer was shot and killed at the home of CBI consultant, Patrick Jane and his wife, CBI agent, Teresa Lisbon-Jane. Red John allegedly tried to kill Teresa and the couple's three year old daughter-" the reporter on screen said but Jane shut off the TV and smiled.

"It's the past, Tess, all I want now is to be with you and Angela forever and watch her grow up like I never got to watch Charlotte. You both are my life now." Jane told her, and Angela giggled from Teresa's lap.

Teresa's eyes lit up and she smiled. "I love you, Jane. I really do."

Jane smiled back at her, taking her hand and kissing Angela's head. "I love you too, Tess, I always will. I promise." As he said that, Teresa knew that this time, the promise he made right then was true, and always would be.


End file.
